| St Charles Church .org |  |
|||||
| News & Events | Faith | Ministries | Parish | Volunteer | Help | Contact Us |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
| Parish
Poll Warning: main(/usr/local/lib/php_contrib/phpESP/public/handler.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /nfs/c01/h06/mnt/36479/domains/stcharleschurch.org/html/faith/homilies/2003/creedon0706.php on line 87 Warning: main(/usr/local/lib/php_contrib/phpESP/public/handler.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /nfs/c01/h06/mnt/36479/domains/stcharleschurch.org/html/faith/homilies/2003/creedon0706.php on line 87 Warning: main() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/local/lib/php_contrib/phpESP/public/handler.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/php-4.4.8-1/share/pear') in /nfs/c01/h06/mnt/36479/domains/stcharleschurch.org/html/faith/homilies/2003/creedon0706.php on line 87 Results:Warning: main(/usr/local/lib/php_contrib/phpESP/public/handler.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /nfs/c01/h06/mnt/36479/domains/stcharleschurch.org/html/faith/homilies/2003/creedon0706.php on line 89 Warning: main(/usr/local/lib/php_contrib/phpESP/public/handler.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /nfs/c01/h06/mnt/36479/domains/stcharleschurch.org/html/faith/homilies/2003/creedon0706.php on line 89 Warning: main() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/local/lib/php_contrib/phpESP/public/handler.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/php-4.4.8-1/share/pear') in /nfs/c01/h06/mnt/36479/domains/stcharleschurch.org/html/faith/homilies/2003/creedon0706.php on line 89
|
Parochialism and Nationalism
Balancing Being Inclusive To All and Not Forgetting Our Own
This Fr. Gerry Creedon homily was delivered at St. Charles on July 6, 2003
"THOSE WHO GO FORTH with a fifth on the Fourth cannot go forth on the fifth." You might make it by the sixth! We are glad you are here.
We have just been celebrating a national holiday, a time for legitimate pride in history and the ideals of our country. Yet today's Gospel presents an antidote to parochialism and nationalism.
I was out jogging yesterday morning and a big car tanked by with a big flag. The image stayed with me. It is well at times to step back. We need the pinprick of the Gospel, that thorn in the side that deflates the ego.
Jesus wasn't welcome in Nazareth. If you visit Nazareth you will find a big cliff beside the Church of Nativity, where Jesus gave his first sermon. He was thrown over the cliff. They thought that God belonged to them. Jesus preached the God of all the nations. He healed the Syrians, the enemy. Reacting to a God of universal solidarity, they wanted a more parochial divinity. He wasn't welcome in his native place, in his own house, among his own kin.
After my first year "in the mission," I went home to my home village of Inchigeela. At St. Finbar's church, I preached a fine, long sermon. I walked down the village to receive the plaudits of the people. As I reached the bridge I met Molly. She said, "I suppose you think we have to listen to you now with that new Yankee twang of yours!" This thorn in the side of the apostle left me quite deflated. The prophet is without honor in his native place.
I received lots of honors here a couple weeks ago for the 35th anniversary of my ordination. The one that touched me most came from a little fourth grade child from St Charles School.
She sent me a card with a child dancing with flowers and it says, "Father Creedon is special because he is sometimes not only a priest but also sometimes your friend." Then she wrote, "Father Creedon has a nice smile and I like to make him smile by saying something silly and goofy." And lastly, "Father Creedon is smart. He knows how to pronounce my name, unlike some people. Also he knows how some things feel." Her name is Meiraf and she is Muslim. She received the religion award for her grade.
I share this testimony to the God of all the nations that we teach at St. Charles. I believe I can take legitimate pride in our school without being accused of exaggerated parochialism. Familiarity breeds contempt. Sometimes we do not honor what's right there before our own eyes in our own place. There may be wonderful schools in Arlington, Fairfax, or Alexandria but the spirit of St. Charles School is second to none.
We still have places for new enrollments!